The Pickwick Papers

[cosmos..33]

One of my profs recommended The Pickwick Papers, and I told her I'd read it this summer.

I started it yesterday, and I am having a lot of trouble with it. The prose is confusing and extremely wordy (I know this is partially because it was published in serial form). I have read Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities, but I don't remember them being so taxing.

Does anyone have any advice on how to read Pickwick?

Thanks!

[mono]

Hello, cosmos, welcome to the forum.
Though I have never read Dickens' The Pickwick Papers, I, along with many of his other readers, cannot ignore his very common verbosity. With extra words everywhere, impeding any kind of understanding of a book, sometimes I will turn to Cliff's Notes, which would probably have something for The Pickwick Papers, written by such a popular, classic author.
Good luck!

[cosmos..33]

I'm sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum; I didn't see the individual authors below!

[Charles Darnay]

There must be something wrong with me, but I have never found Dickens overly wordy... especially when compared to his contemps.

For the Pickwick Papers - I remember I found the beginning a bit confusing, but once you get into it, you become accusutmed to the language. Looking through the book now, I recall skimming the first chapter and really starting to read the second chapter - there was something about the first chapter that makes it seem as if it shouldn't be there.

[RJbibliophil]

Old books are often like that, you need to get a ways into them, then they get really interesting...

[Omniglot]

Originally Posted by RJbibliophil

Old books are often like that, you need to get a ways into them, then they get really interesting...

Yes, thats how I am finding 'A Tale of two Cities'. The first chapter sort of befuddled me! But half way through the book, I think it's great.

[chomskywonderer]

Originally Posted by cosmos..33

One of my profs recommended The Pickwick Papers, and I told her I'd read it this summer.

I started it yesterday, and I am having a lot of trouble with it. The prose is confusing and extremely wordy (I know this is partially because it was published in serial form). I have read Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities, but I don't remember them being so taxing.

Does anyone have any advice on how to read Pickwick?

Thanks!

Hello dear friend;

I started it last week and I live the same troubles with you.As I understood , the chapter's subjects are far away from eachother.The only similarity between the chapters are the characters.Last summer I tried to read David Copperfield but I couldn't manage it.) I think we must read the summary of the novel firstly and study the characters:Ha ha I think we can understand only by this way.

[Willard]

Cosmos

I began Pickwick Papers a week ago and had trouble changing frequencies but being retired I lightened up . I have became really absorbed in his characters.And his use of language is fascinating. Dickens is a magnificent storyteller .

[Anthony57]

read the book slow.
consider it three times its compressed size.
enjoy the secrets of the text.